U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,870 discloses an infant restraint with a shell for receiving a young child which is carried by a frame for mounting the restraint on a vehicle seat with the shell in a rearward facing direction and a comfortable, somewhat reclining position. The shell is pivotally mounted on the frame adjacent its upper end which is preferably supported by legs bearing on the vehicle floor. The lower end of the frame is retained on the seat by a conventional seat belt. Preferably, in normal use, the vehicle shell is retained in its comfortable, somewhat reclining position by a retaining means. In the event of a frontal crash, the retaining means yields and permits the shell to pivot or swing generally downwardly so that infant is supported and shielded by the back of the shell in a more erect or vertical position, thereby preventing ejection of the infant from the restraint and usually avoiding injury to the infant.